Macgregor 65
Description
The MacGregor 65 is a high-performance fiberglass cruising sailboat designed by Roger MacGregor (founder of MacGregor Yacht Corporation) and built in Costa Mesa, California, from 1984 to 1995. This lightweight, long-waterline design prioritizes speed and efficiency for offshore passages, with a narrow hull and deep fin keel enabling planing in moderate winds—often described as a "rocket ship" for its ability to outpace heavier cruisers. Two main variants exist: the original racing-oriented model (1984–1987, ~20 built) and the more popular Pilot House version (1987–1995, ~70+ built), which added a raised deckhouse for all-weather sailing, a redesigned interior, and optional winged keel for shoal-draft stability. With a focus on short-handed capability (e.g., single-handing transatlantic routes), it's suited for serious coastal or ocean cruising rather than liveaboard comfort. Production ended as MacGregor shifted to smaller trailerables like the 26 series, but the 65's reputation for speed endures among performance enthusiasts.
Construction Details
| Designer | Roger MacGregor |
|---|---|
| Builder | MacGregor Yacht Corporation |
| Length | 65.000 ft |
| LOA | 35.500 ft |
| LWL | 33.000 ft |
| Beam | 18.000 ft |
| Displacement | 3000 lb |
| Max Draft | 3.500 ft |
| Min Draft | 2.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 61 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 25.92 ft |
| p | 54.33 ft |
| e | 19 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 ft | 25.92 ft | 54.33 ft | 19 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 54.33 ft - (16560 mm) |
| Foot | * 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
| Leech | * 56.65 ft - (17267 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 56.93 ft - (17352 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 527.58 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 53.02 ft - (16160 mm) |
| Foot | * 36.4 ft - (11095 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.83 ft - (13359 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.01 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 29.81 ft - (9086 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 790.26 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 62.96 ft - (19190 mm) |
| Foot | * 43.64 ft - (13301 mm) |
| Leech | * 58.08 ft - (17703 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 38.88 ft - (11851 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 1224.01 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 65 ft - (19812 mm) |
| Foot | 43 ft - (13106 mm) |
| Leech | 58 ft - (17678 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 2096 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 62.96 ft - (19190 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 46.66 ft - (14222 mm) |
| Foot | * 46.66 ft - (14222 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 2497 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.